Arrest made in weekend mall robbery

Published: Monday, April 8, 2013 at 05:10 PM.

A woman's shopping trip to Cleveland Mall took an unexpected turn this weekend when police said a man approached her in the parking lot, threatened her with a knife, and stole items from her.

The woman, who spoke to The Star under the condition of anonymity, said she decided to make a trip to the mall Saturday afternoon.

She said she spent time looking around but left about 6 p.m., while it was still daylight, without buying anything.

The woman said she headed back to her car in the Belk's parking lot.

"I don't remember if I got the door closed or if he opened it," she said. "I don't know if I was all the way in the car. When I turned around we were nose to nose and he had the knife in my leg. He said, 'Don't scream or I'll cut you.'"

She said her first thought was to get away as quickly as she could.

The woman gave the man her cell phone and some cash and then drove away.

A woman's shopping trip to Cleveland Mall took an unexpected turn this weekend when police said a man approached her in the parking lot, threatened her with a knife, and stole items from her.

The woman, who spoke to The Star under the condition of anonymity, said she decided to make a trip to the mall Saturday afternoon.

She said she spent time looking around but left about 6 p.m., while it was still daylight, without buying anything.

The woman said she headed back to her car in the Belk's parking lot.

"I don't remember if I got the door closed or if he opened it," she said. "I don't know if I was all the way in the car. When I turned around we were nose to nose and he had the knife in my leg. He said, 'Don't scream or I'll cut you.'"

She said her first thought was to get away as quickly as she could.

The woman gave the man her cell phone and some cash and then drove away.

Emmanuel Eugene Humphries, 28, of the 300 block of Martin Street, was arrested a short time later, according to a Shelby Police report.

Humphries was charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and is being held at the Cleveland County Detention Center with a $50,000 bond.

"I commend the Shelby Police Department for a professional and excellent job on this," the woman said. "Not only did they solve it, but they were so kind to me. They made me feel very safe and very confident they were going to do their job."

According to the report, when Humphries was arrested, he had the woman's cell phone in his possession.

"His face is embedded in my mind," she said. "I've called every friend I know to tell them to just be careful, be a little more cautious."

Since then, she said she has been wary of going out alone.

"I want to get that confidence and independence back," she said. "I haven't been out since then."

The woman said she wishes there were additional security police officers at the mall, especially outside.

Capt. Steve Canipe, with Shelby Police, said Cleveland Mall typically hires off-duty officers on the weekends to patrol in and outside the building. He said the Carmike Cinema also has one or two officers working on weekends.

Canipe said off-duty officers are sporadically hired to work during the week.

Shelby Police has a substation inside the mall as well. He said it is more or less office space. Although it is not manned at all times, an officer is frequently there, Canipe said.

Reach reporter Rebecca Clark at 704-669-3344 or rclark@shelbystar.com or follow on Twitter @TheStarRebecca.